Seahawks Jaxon Smith-Njigba Becomes NFL’s Highest-Paid WR, Reportedly Inking $168M Deal

Jaxon Smith-Njigba won Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl title in 2025. Now, weeks into the 2026 offseason, the Seattle Seahawks’ star is adding a new accolade to his name: highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. Smith-Njigba has agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million extension with the Seahawks that includes $120 million in guaranteed money, ESPN reported Monday. The contract will pay Smith-Njigba $42.15 million per year, which is nearly $2 million more per year than what Cincinnati Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase is making ($40.25 million). Chase signed a four-year, $161 million extension last offseason to become the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. The deal for Smith-Njigba came a few days after the team announced that they would be picking up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. With that move, Smith-Njigba was set to be under contract through the end of the 2027 season. However, he became extension eligible earlier in March, and with other star receivers (like Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams) due for new contracts, Monday’s extension allowed the Seahawks to set the market rather than react to it. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon, whom the Seahawks took alongside Smith-Njigba in the first round of the 2023 draft, also had his fifth-year option picked up by Seattle recently. Witherspoon can sign an extension this offseason as well. Seattle also extended offensive tackle Charles Cross, its 2022 first-round pick, to a four-year, $104.4 million extension in January as it looks to maintain its core pieces. Smith-Njigba and Witherspoon were both key to the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run this past season. Smith-Njigba had 119 receptions for a league-best 1,793 yards in the regular season, adding 10 touchdowns. His postseason wasn’t as dominant, but Smith-Njigba had 153 receiving yards in the Seahawks’ NFC Championship Game win over the Los Angeles Rams. As for Witherspoon, he had 72 total tackles and an interception this past regular season. On top of that, Witherspoon graded out as Pro Football Focus’ top cornerback for the 2025 season. He allowed opposing receivers to get just 409 receiving yards on 59 targets (8.09 yards per target), per PFF, and he could become one of the game’s highest-paid corners this offseason. The extension for Smith-Njigba followed the departures of a handful of players from the Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning squad earlier this month. Running back Kenneth Walker III signed a multi-year deal to join the Kansas City Chiefs. Edge rusher Boye Mafe departed Seattle to sign a three-year, $60 million pact with the Cincinnati Bengals. Cornerback Riq Woolen joined the Philadelphia Eagles on a one-year deal. Seattle was able to keep Rashid Shaheed, though, further stabilizing their wide receiver group as quarterback Sam Darnold looks to have another strong year in 2026. Shaheed re-signed with the Seahawks on a three-year, $51 million deal.